Stop means for textile machines



NOV. 14, 1944. w GRIP-F15 2,362,956

STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

LAWRENCE W Gamma Nov. 14, 1944.

L. W. GRIFFIS STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Jan. 26, 1944' 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I JNVENTOR. LAWRENCE W. GRu=F|s BY G M,MQlnu.

1 Patented Nov. 14, 1944 STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Lawrence W.Grims, Bnllalo, N. Y., assignor to Van Raalte Company, Inc., New York,N.

Application January 28, 1944, Serial No. 519,755

16 Claims.

This invention relates to stop means for use in the textile arts andparticularly to means for causing machine stoppage under abnormalconditions of thread or yarn passage.

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,330,202, dated September 28, 1943,granted to Clyde B. Hayes and Henry J. Czech there is disclosed a novelstop means for textile machines wherein the necessity for individualdrop wires or heddles for each thread is obviated by the provision of apair of spaced electrodes which are effective to close an electricalcircuit when bridged by a thread having electrically conductiveproperties. In the aforesaid application a pair of spaced parallelrollers are provided and the rollers, which comprise a single electrode,rotate counter to the direction of thread movement. The second electrodeis disposed between the pair of spaced rollers.

By my present invention I have devised an improved arrangement and meanswhereby all moving parts are eliminated. Apparatus is provided wherebythread or yarn which comes to the warp stop by reason of breakage, lackof proper tension, or for any other reason indicating abnormality, isrendered electrically conductive purely by capillary wetting out of thethread or yarn. I find that the provision of the means herein disclosedis adequate to wet thread or yarn for a sufficient disstance and in atime short enough to permit the elimination of all such devices asrotating rolls and other moving parts.

Further, in pursuing the teachings of the present invention, acirculating liquid circuit is employed. This is found to avoid previousundesirabilities arising out of accumulation of lint and other foreignparticles and a tendency of the liquid to stagnate and develop sludge.The circulation of liquid is also useful in maintaining the conductiveagent, such as a bromate, in solution, and accordingly eliminates alltendencies of the conductive agent, which is generally present as asolute, to precipitate.

To cite a specific application of the device, in tricot knittingmachines the stop means is disposed adjacent the warp somewhere betweenthe warp beam and the knitting mechanism. The electrodes are preferablyso disposed as to be engageable by any broken or slack warp thread. Thepresent arrangement is such that machine stoppage will occur promptlywhenever a warp thread breaks or ends between the warp beam and thestop'means. Machine stoppage will likewise automatically occur wheneverslack is developed by breakage of warp thread between the stop means andthe knitting mechanism or by failure of the knitting mechanism tocontinue to withdraw a warp thread.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention a capillary wettingelement extends transversely beneath a normal warp path and comprisesone electrode of a primary machine stopping circuit. Spaced slightlytherefrom in the direction of thread or yarn movement and extendingparallel to the capillary element are a pair of wires or rods whichjointly comprise the other electrode of the primary machine stoppingcircuit. Still referring to a tricot knitting, machine, by way ofexample, one of the wires or rods is disposed at the warp beam side ofthe capillary element and the other is disposed at the knittingmechanism side.

While a complete and specific embodiment of my present invention isshown and described in the ensuing specification, it is to be understoodthat this embodiment is by way of example only and that the invention isnot limited in spirit or scope otherwise than as defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a trlcotknitting machine with the form of stop means of the present inventionshown in cross section, and;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the stop means of Fig.1.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters ofreference denote like parts. In the accompanying drawings I haveillustrated only the electrodes comprising the present novelarrangement. These electrodes are preferably associated with machinecontrolling electrical circuits in the manner clearly shown anddescribed in Hayes et al., Patent No. 2,330,202, wherein the circuitcontaining the electrodes serves as the input of an audion amplifierwhose output circuit directly, controls machine operation by associationwith conventional relay operated switches. Since every detail of theelectrical portion of the device of the present invention, beginningwith the electrical conductors leading from the illustrated electrodes,may be identical with the electical means shown and completely describedin the prior application, the disclosure of that part of the presentdevice will not be repeated here.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numerals l0 and II designate a pair of side framemembers of a textile machine which in the illustrated instance is atricot knitting machine. A warp beam I2 is journaled between the sideframes l0 and II and Fig. 1 shows schematically a conventional whip rolll3 and a tension bar l4. The whip roll I3 and the tension bar l4 serve,in the illustrated instance, to cause the warp to move in asubstantially horizontal direction for a portion of its travel betweenthe warp and the knitting mechanism of the machine (not shown). It iscontemplated that in conventional tricot machines employing a pair ofwarp beams, a separate set of electrodes .will be provided for each ofthe warp beams.

In Fig. 1 the warp is shown coming off of the bottom of the beam i2 butthis will be varied to suit the circumstances of particular machines andthe warp beam supports will be so arranged that thread angles about thewhip roll are not to acute for practical operation. In tricot machinesemploying two warp beams, one may feed warp from the bottom and theother from the top of the beam. In Fig. 1 the dot and dash showing Aindicates the most acute thread ang e, when the warp beam I2 ispractically depleted, while the dot and dash showing B shows the threadpath when the warp beam is full.

In the drawings the numeral l5 designates an elongate pan which extendsfrom one side of the machine to the other beneath the entire warp, whichis designated IS in Fig. l. The pan l5 may be attached to the machine inany convenient manner. In its illustrated form the pan l5, which is ofarcuate transverse cross section,

, rests in a pair of insulating blocks l8 which in turn are secured to abase plate I9 whose opposite ends may be downwardly flanged as at 20',for securement to inverted U-shaped brackets 22 carried by the sideframes I and H.

In the alternative, the pan I may be secured directly to the machineframe and thus constitute a ground electrode. A tube is shown supportedat its opposite ends by the end walls of pan [5. The preferred crosssectional form of tube 20 is shown in Fig. 1 and it has disposedthereabout a sleeve 2| of relatively closely knit fabric which fitssnugly about the tube so that the fabric stretches tautly across theconvex upper side of the tube. Such convex upper side is provided with aseries of apertures 22 which extends substantially the entire length oftube 20.

The interior of tube 20 is fed with liquid which may be a water solutionof a suitable salt or other agent calculated to render thread or yarnelectrically conductive when it is wet with the liquid. While anyconductive liquid may be employed, an example of a satisfactory liquidis a water solution of chromate. The liquid is introduced through aconduit 23 which communicates with the bottom of tube 20 substantiallyat its center. The liquid is fed to tube 20 at moderate pressure so thatliquid emerges from the apertures 22 to keep the fabric stretched acrossthe top of tube 20 thoroughly wet. Excess liquid spilling over the edgesof tube 20 or dropping from the bottom of fabric sleeve 2| is caught bypan I5 which, in the illustrated form, is pitched lengthwise so thatliquid caught thereby is drained oii through a conduit 25.

As indicated schematically in Fig. 2, the drain conduit 25 leads to theinlet side of a pump 28 whose outlet communicates with the conduit 23leading to tube 20. In Fig. 2 the numeral 21 schematically indicates thepresence of a filter unit in conduit 25. The filter may be of anysuitable form and may comprise merely a screen sufficiently fine tointercept lint and other undesirable foreign particles. It will beunderstood that circulation of the liquid promotes uniformity ofconcentration of the solution and militates against any tendency towardprecipitation. It is contemplated that a single pump may supply abattery of machines and that a single machine may employ a plurality ofwarp stops. The provision of suitable means for maintaining a desiredsupply of liquid and correct concentration of the solution are withinthe province of those skilled in the art.

The including the pan l5, tube 20 and wetted fabric 2|, comprises oneelectrode of the primary machine stopping circuit. The oppositeelectrode comprises a pair of wires 40 and 4| which are stretchedbetween insulating blocks 42 and carried thereby. The wires 40 and 4|extend parallel to tube 20 at opposite sides thereof and are preferablydisposed so that their top surfaces are substantially co-planar with thetop surface of tube 2. and sleeve 2| as shown in Fig. 1. The degree ofspacing of tube 20 relative to the normal path of the warp and thedisposition of wires 4| and 4| with respect to both the warp and tube 20will vary between certain limits. according to whether the warp beinghandled is nylon, cotton, rayon, silk, wool or other material.

In the illustrated instance tensioning means for the wires 4| and 4| areprovided. One end of each of the wires 40 and 4| may be welded to asquare rod 44 disposed in a square hole formed in one of the insulatingblocks 42. The outer end of each of the square rods 44 may be threadedto receive nuts 45 for connecting a terminal 46 of a conductor 41 whichis common to both of the wires 4. and 4!. The other ends of the wires 40and 4! are provided with eyelets at which are engaged by hooked ends 49of rods 50 which extend through the other insulating block 42 and aresecured against displacement by nuts 52. In the illustrated instancesufficient tension to hold each of the wires 40 and 4| taut and straightmay be imparted by interposing a coil spring 53 between the block 44 anda washer 54 retained by the nuts 55. In Fig. 1 a sley bar is shown at56, between the stop means and the tension bar 14, for retaining properspacing of the individual threads of the warp.

A critical factor in the warp stop set forth herein is the provision ofan abundance of moisture at the upper surface of fabric sleeve 21, sothat threads engaging it, wet out rapidly and the liquid taken up inwetting out is immediately replaced so that the wetting out process maycontinue until either of the electrodes 40 or 4! is encoimtered,whereupon machine stoppage occurs instantaneously. In the apparatusherein disclosed, such abundance of liquid supply is insured withoutpossibility of escape of liquid from the warp stop proper. This latteris particularly important since some of the electrically conductiveliquids contemplated are corrosive in nature and would deteriorateknitting or other textile machine parts with which they came intocontact.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed beneath a normalthread path, said element comprising a capillary upper surface adaptedto be readily wet, means for continuously directing electricallyconductive fluent liquid against said capillary surface element from itsunder side, trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquiddischarging therefrom,

said surface element comprising a terminal of an electric machinestopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent butspaced lengthwise of the thread path from said surface element, wherebya displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet by capillaritybeyond said surface element and to said second terminal to close themachine stopping circuit.

2. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a capillary surface directed towardthe thread path and adapted to be readily wet, means for continuouslydirecting electiically conductive fluent liquid against said capillarysurface element from the side opposite said thread path, trough meansbeneath said surface element to receive liquid discharging therefrom,said surface element comprising a terminal of an electric machinestopping circuit,

. and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent but spaced lengthwiseof the thread path from said surface element, whereby a displaced threadcontacting said surface element is wet by capillarity beyond saidsurface element and to said second terminal to close the machinestopping circuit.

3. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a, liquid-pervious surface elementdisposed beneath a normal thread-path, means for substantiallycontinuously directing electrically conductive fluent liquid againstsaid surface element from the under side thereof, trough means beneathsaid surface element to receive liquid discharging therefrom, saidsurface element comprising a, terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second temiinal of said circuit adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said surface element, whereby adisplaced thread contacting said surface element is wet by capillaritybeyond said surface element and to said second terminal to close themachine stopping circuit.

4. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a liquid-pervious surface elementdisposed adjacent a normal thread path, means for substantiallycontinuously directing electrically conductive fluent liquid againstsaid pervious surface means from the side opposite said thread path,trough means beneath said capillary means to receive liquid dischargingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacentbut spaced lengthwise of the thread path from said surface element,whereby a, displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet .bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopping circuit.

5. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element,trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquid droppingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second terminal of said surface elementand to said second terminal to close the machine stopping circuit.

6. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element,trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquid dischargingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacentbut spaced lengthwise of the thread path from said surface element, saidsurface element having a substantial extent lengthwise of the threadpath, whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wetby capillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminalto close the machine stopping circuit.

7. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element, saidsurface element comprising a terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said surface element in a direction,whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopp circuit.

8. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element, saidsurface element comprising a terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said surface element, said surfaceelement having a substantial extent lengthwise of the thread pathwhereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopping circuit.

9. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element,trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquid fallingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit, saidsecond terminal comprising a pair of conductors, one adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said surface element at each sidethereof, whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element iswet by capillarity beyond said surface element and to either of theconductors comprising said second terminal to close the machine stoppingcircuit.

10. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition,.means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element, saidsurface element comprising a terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second terminal of said circuit, said second terminalcomprising a pair of conductors, one adjacent but spaced lengthwise ofthe thread path from said surface element at each side thereof, wherebya displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet by capillaritybeyond said surface element and to either of the conductorscomprisingsaid second terminal to close the machine stopping circuit.

11. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element,trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquiddroppingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacentbut spaced lengthwise of the thread path from said surface element in adirection, whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element iswet by capillarity beyond said surface element and to said secondterminal to close the machine stopping circuit, a liquid conduit havingsaid liquid directing means and said trough means as its discharge andintake passages, respectively, and fluid displacement means in saidconduit for directing electrical conducting liquid to said surfaceelement under pressure.

12. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising an element disposed adjacent a normalthread path, said element comprising a surface adapted to be readilymaintained in a wet condition, means for continuously directingelectrically conductive fluent liquid across said surface element,trough means beneath said surface element to receive liquid droppingtherefrom, said surface element comprising a terminal of an electricmachine stopping circuit, and a second ter minal of said circuitadjacent but spaced lengthwise of the thread path from said surfaceelement in a direction, whereby a displaced thread contacting saidsurface element is wet by capillarity beyond said surface element and tosaid second terminal to close the machine stopping circuit, a liquidconduit having said liquid directing means and said trough means as itsdischarge and intake passages, respectively, fluid displacement means insaid conduit for directing electrical conducting liquid to said surfaceelement under pressure, and filter means in said conduit for freeing theliquid of foreign matter.

13. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a tube extending transversely beneath athread path, a capillary surface element disposed above said tube, meansfor directing a forced flow of electrically conductive liquid into saidtube, and openings in said tube directed toward said surface elementwhereby the latter is maintained in a wet condition, said tube andsurface element comprising one terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said tube and surface element,whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopping circuit.

14. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a tube extending transversely beneath athread path, a liquid-pervious surface element disposed above said tube,means for directing a forced flow of electrically conductive liquid intosaid tube, and openings in said tube directed toward said surfaceelement whereby the latter is maintained in a wet condition, said tubeand surface element comprising one terminal of an electric machine stoppn circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent but spacedlengthwise of the thread path from said tube and surface element,whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopping circuit.

15. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a tube extending transversely beneath athread path, a liquid-pervious surface element disposed above said tube,means for directing a forced flow of electrically conductive liquid intosaid tube, and openings in said tube directed toward said surfaceelement whereby the latter is maintained in a wet condition, said tubeand surface element comprising one terminal of an electric machinestopping circuit, and a second terminal of said circuit adjacent butspaced lengthwise of the thread path from said tube and surface element,whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapilarity beyond said surface element and to said second terminal toclose the machine stopping circuit, a receiver beneath said tube andsurface element for catching liquid falling therefrom, a liquid conduithaving said liquid directing means and said receiver as its dischargeand intake passages, and fluid displacement means in said conduit fordirecting electrically conductive liquid into said tube under pressure.

16. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to threadfailure, said means comprising a tube extending transversely beneath athread path, a capillary surface element disposed above said tube, meansfor directing a forced flow of electrically conductive liquid into saidtube, and openings in said tube directed toward said surface elementwhereby the latter is maintained in a wet condition, said tube andsurface element comprising one terminal of an electric machine stoppingcircuit, and a second terminal of said circuit, said second circuitcomprising a pair of conductors, one adjacent but spaced lengthwise ofthe thread path from said tube and surface element at each side thereof,whereby a displaced thread contacting said surface element is wet bycapillarity beyond said surface element and to either of the conductorscomprising said second terminal to close the machine stopping circuit.

LAWRENCE W. GRIFFIS.

